Page 14 of Defy

The fact that she isn’t storming out here and yanking Libby out of my arms should comfort me but instead it leaves me confused and defensive. Grabbing Libby’s shoulders, I gently move her away from me. “I’d better get you back to the table but I’ll come to your room as soon as I’m sure it’s safe.”

~

I CAN TELL MY FATHER is torn between continuing to treat me like a prisoner and welcoming me into my birthright.

Recovering Luis did a lot to work in my favor and helped me begin to put a plan together.

My mother pulls me aside after a family meeting, her floral scent making me nauseated. “Dominic, let’s take a walk.” She must remember how I feel about the water because she takes my hand and leads me toward the marina.

She loops her arm through mine, leading me outside as I resist the urge to throw her off. I’m here to play nice until the opportunity to strike presents itself, and this is not it. Once we’re out of earshot of my brother and father, she leans in to me so that her voice doesn’t carry on the wind. “I never got the chance to tell you that I’m sorry.”

Her words make me pull up short and I stop abruptly, pulling my arm out of her grasp. I didn’t expect her to bring it up at all, let alone in the form of an apology.

“Dominic,” she starts carefully, like she knows this subject is liable to make me lose my shit. Because it is. “I’m not sorry for making the choice that I did.” A menacing growl escapes my throat letting her know she’s walking a fine line here. “But Iamsorry for enlisting you for the job. And I’m sorry it caused you to leave. That was a move we didn’t anticipate and it took us quite a while to recover from your absence.” She moves to swipe a rogue curl out of my eyes as a light breeze rolls in off the water at the edge of the property, reminding me I’m past due for a haircut.

In my head, I catch her wrist and snap it in half.

In reality, however, I let her soothe herself with the action and try not to flinch. Although I have a part to play, I can’t bring myself to even lie about forgiving her because I don’t.

I never will.

Instead, I use the opening to try and pry more information from her.

“I never understood why you had to make that call in the first place. How could you sacrifice your own daughter?” My mother looks at the ground in front of us, revealing nothing, so I tighten my voice and aim for a nerve, bracing myself to have the truth confirmed. “Unless of course, it wasn’t a sacrifice at all since she wasn’t really your daughter.”

At this, she snaps her head in my direction, her eyes wild. “Who told you that?”

Fuck. So, it’s true.

“You first,Mother.”

Whatever progress we were making, I just ruined with my sarcastic tone. I see the veil come down and the flames of anger lick her irises.

“Don’t think that I wouldn’t make that same call again if it meant protecting this family.” I hear her words but they don’t have the conviction behind them that they once did.

My temper is uncontrollable at this point and I yell, crowding my mother’s space, my breath replacing the breeze blowing her hair. “How in thehellcoulda helpless sixteen-year-old-girl have been a threat to this family? She was the best fucking part of it!”

Before I get another word in, my father is on top of me. I didn’t even hear him approach over the roar of fury pounding in my ears. He’s thrown me to the ground and is standing over me with his boot crushing my chest. New pains rip through me bringing me dangerously close to throwing up on the boot stealing my breath.

At least it isn’t on my ribs.

“Listen to me, you traitorous piece of shit. You’d better be damn glad I didn’t put a bullet in your forehead the second you reappeared. Just because we haven’t killed you yet doesn’t mean we won’t and one good deed doesn’t erase eighteen years of abandonment. If you ever speak to your mother that way again, I’ll blow your brain out the back of your skull.”

Clenching my jaw, I stare at him unblinking. Consumed by my rage, I feel my chances of getting out of here alive growing smaller with each interaction.

While we stare each other down, my mother clutches my father’s forearm.

“Omar, he knows Adriana wasn’t ours.” Her voice is devoid of emotion; she’s just stating facts.

My father turns to look at my mother slowly before looking back at me. “When did you find out?” My father is obviously less willing to share information and I need to turn this exchange around fast if I have any hope of not ruining my entire plan, so I tell him the truth.

“Luis told me yesterday. I didn’t believe it until Imelda just confirmed it.”Which is why I flew off the rails.

Omar rubs a frustrated hand over his tired eyes. He opens his mouth to say something but decides against it. Finally, he removes his boot from my chest and I stand.

“What does it matter now?” When both of my aging parents look at me, I grow tired of the games. “Haven’t I earned some damn answers for fuck’s sake?”

“Maybe in time, but right now I’m late for a meeting. It seems the Dutch have received word that you killed Willem and are demanding retribution. Excuse me while I go clean upyourmess this time.”

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